SHOW OF FORCE -- Jaguar Mateus de Carvalho rams home a shot for the penultimate point of the first set. Jonatan Muñoz, International Jaguars masterful in 2-0 win over Griffins
By Maria Claudia Bernal
By Maria Claudia Bernal
International School
The Cooperative boys varsity volleyball team defeated International in straight sets in the International gym Tuesday afternoon.
Not even the advice and encouragement of Pablo Muñoz, star of International's championship 2007 team who was back for a visit, could help the Griffins solve the relentless attack of the Jaguars.
The Jaguars are now 5-0, and have only been forced to a third set once this season. That was done by Christian Learning, which will get one more chance against the league-leaders when those two teams meet next week.
Cooperative did not overpower International in the way that Muñoz' team sometimes did. Instead the Jaguars prevailed in long rallies largely by refusing to make mistakes, and making artful saves to keep the ball in play.
Not even the advice and encouragement of Pablo Muñoz, star of International's championship 2007 team who was back for a visit, could help the Griffins solve the relentless attack of the Jaguars.
The Jaguars are now 5-0, and have only been forced to a third set once this season. That was done by Christian Learning, which will get one more chance against the league-leaders when those two teams meet next week.
Cooperative did not overpower International in the way that Muñoz' team sometimes did. Instead the Jaguars prevailed in long rallies largely by refusing to make mistakes, and making artful saves to keep the ball in play.
The Jaguars were the bigger team, but often seemed to prefer to use their height advantage to slap the ball into undefended spots rather than to blast it into the floor -- though they did that too.
The Jaguars jumped on top early in the opening set 4-0, and enjoyed leads of 16-5 and 22-9, before the Griffins rallied at the end to cut the lead to a final count of 25-16.
The second set was a more even affair, and the teams were actually tied 13-13 before the Jaguars began to move ahead, gradually opening a lead until they led by four, 22-18. They then added the final three points in relatively rapid order to win the set 25-18 and take the match.
The Jaguars jumped on top early in the opening set 4-0, and enjoyed leads of 16-5 and 22-9, before the Griffins rallied at the end to cut the lead to a final count of 25-16.
The second set was a more even affair, and the teams were actually tied 13-13 before the Jaguars began to move ahead, gradually opening a lead until they led by four, 22-18. They then added the final three points in relatively rapid order to win the set 25-18 and take the match.
UP IN THE AIR -- Eagle Jesse Hallock tries to blast ball past Knights Jose Rivera (9) and Alvaro Lopez (2). Ruth Nyquist, Christian Learning
Eagles fly high against Knights, win 2-0
The Christian Learning boys varsity volleyball team kept alive its chance to tie for first place in the regular season with a straight sets win over Cambridge Tuesday afternoon in a match played in the Cooperative gym.
The Eagles are now 4-1 with their loss coming at the hands of undefeated Cooperative, now 5-0. The two teams clash in the season finale next Tuesday.
Christian Learning won both sets on Tuesday by the identical scores of 25-19.
